ENTOMBED IN SHIP'S HOLD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1198, 22 January 1914, Page 3

ENTOMBED IN SHIP'S HOLD.

NATIVE'S AWFUL EXPERIENCE. A remarkable story of a native being “entombed” in a vessel’s hold for Jl days without food or water is fold in a letter received in Sydney last week from on© of the officers of the Union Castle liner Tiger, at Capetown. The Tiger arrived at Capetown ou November 26 from Delagoa Bay, with a cargo of 5000 tons of coal, and while tlie cargo was being discharged the labourers in No. 4 hold were astounded by seeing a hand emerge from the heap ot coal. In a few moments enough ot the coal was removed to disclose the body of a man in a painfully weak condition. He was assisted ou deck, and water and food were promptly given him. The man uttered a lew incoherent Avoids, and continually held np three of his fingers, giving the idea that other men were buried beneath the eoal. Immediately the work of shifting the cargo was resumed with the greatest energy, and carried on tor a couple of hours after the usual time for ceasing work. By that time all the coal against the sides of the ship and between the bulkheads had been discharged, but no trace was found of any other persons. After the native bail sufficiently recovered to be able to tell a connected story, it was gathered that lie was engaged at Delagoa Bay in loading the Tiger with coal. Mis work was to trim the coal after it had been removed from the baskets. He was working the bottom “wing” when the order, was given for the men to leave the hold, but this ,he was unable to do, as the spot in which he was working had been covered up with coal. It is presumed that the man, whoso name is Fish Bando, fell asleep, ami that his companions wont on with the trimming of the cargo in ignorance of his whereabouts. Directly Bando discovered his unfortunate plight, he commenced to shout, but the noi.se caused by the handling of the coal prevented his cries being 'heard. The Tiger left Delagoa Bay. and the held in which he was was battened down four days prior to that. Ho was, therefore, imprisoned for no fewer than 11 days. His plight was an awful one, for not only was lie entirely without food and water for that long period, but hemmed in as he was between the coal aud the roof of the “wing,” lie had no space in which even to turn. Fortunately, his sufferings were lessened by the fact that for the major portion of his incarceration lie was unconscious.